Hope
by aces
Summary: A continuation of a scene between Athena and Starbuck from the pilot.


This is a continuation of a scene between Starbuck and Athena that took place in the pilot, when Starbuck came back to the _Galactica_ in a damaged Viper and Athena ran to the bay to meet him--when I watched this scene, I had an idea what could happen next, and this is what I came up with. I'm hoping I got the characterizations right; I haven't seen that many episodes of this show. Anyway, I don't own these characters (good ol' Universal does), I make no profit off this story, usw. Enjoy! : )

Hope

She grabbed him again by his uniform jacket, managed to stop his frantic, angry stride down the corridor this time. "The colonies are gone."

He turned back to her, finally at least partly listening, a confused look in his eyes behind the anger. "All of them," she added and again felt like breaking down.

"What do you mean, _gone_?" He pulled away from her, walking away again, gesturing his hands sharply in a way she knew meant he was frustrated, wanted to be left alone, wouldn't listen.

She ran after him anyway.

"Starbuck!" She ran around the corner and almost plowed into him. Apparently he _was_ willing to listen; he had waited for her to catch up.

"What do you _mean_, gone?" he repeated angrily, grabbing her arm, eyes blazing, hair hanging in his face. His very stance spoke denial. He didn't want to listen; he _had_ to, to prove her wrong.

Tears sparkled in Athena's eyes, but she managed to stop herself from outright sobbing. "They've all been destroyed, Starbuck," she told him, her voice quivering. "By the Cylons."

"What? That's not possible," he answered disbelievingly, dropping her arm and taking an unconscious step away from her.

"You _saw_ what happened! You were out there!" She collapsed against him, holding onto him, wishing even more now than she had in the bay that he would hug her back. Earlier, her grief had been too new, too fresh to be shared with anyone; she'd pushed even her father away. Now, she needed someone to be strong for her, to grieve with her. 

And she'd almost lost Starbuck too...

He pushed her away, stalking down the corridor again with restless, angry energy. "Yeah, I saw what happened. I saw a lot of my friends die!" he yelled over his shoulder. He stopped, turned back to her, and said, "They can't all be destroyed!" He shook his head, his hair getting into his eyes, but he ignored it, heading down the corridor again and refusing to look back at Athena. "You're wrong, Athena!"

"I'm _not!_" She stopped running after him, too tired to try anymore. Too tired to fight him anymore, make him understand. She stood in the middle of the corridor alone, tears falling down her face and sparkling in her eyes. He'd always been so damned stubborn. She leant against the wall, slid down it, burying her face in her hands and sobbing again. She'd never thought she had that many tears. But then, she'd never expected this either. It felt like her heart had broken in half, nothing to repair it.

Starbuck stopped at the cracked tone of her voice, too broken and exhausted to speak anything but the truth, and he turned around unwillingly in time to see Athena collapse against the wall, silently crying. His frustrated rage and denial left him, and he walked back to her numbly, sitting on the floor next to her and gently taking her hand. She turned into him, and this time he held her as she cried.

"They're all dead, Starbuck," she sobbed out. "Zac, mother, everyone. There's nothing left. Oh Starbuck, there's nothing left..."

He didn't answer. Didn't know what to say, how to take her pain away. He was too dazed; it hadn't even sunk in yet. So he just held her, rocked her back and forth and stroked her hair, comforting her in the only way he could.

Athena's tears finally dried away. A few people had passed them in the corridor, but most were in a hurry and didn't pay them any attention. Athena sat up slowly and gave Starbuck a watery smile. It didn't reach her eyes.

"I've soaked your uniform," she said.

He smiled back, softly, and wiped the glistening tears from her face with gentle fingers. "It's all right," he answered in a quiet voice. "It needed a wash."

An odd look crossed her face, and she abruptly stood up, whole body stiff and formal. Starbuck frowned up at her in confusion before jumping to his feet himself. "Athena--"

"I've got to go," she cut him off, her voice cold. "I'm needed on the bridge. I'm sure you've got to be some place as well, Lieutenant." She took a deep, shuddery breath, but this time no tears fell down her face. "There's a lot that needs...to be done now." She turned on her heel and continued down the corridor quickly, this time leaving Starbuck behind.

"Athena, wait--" he called after her, raising a hand, taking a step forward.

She turned and disappeared around the corner without acknowledging him.

Starbuck opened his mouth to call out again, then closed it in defeat. No point. He'd known that look on her face when she'd stood up, recognized it from times past when he'd gotten in trouble with her and she wouldn't accept any felgercarb from him. Shutters slammed down in place over her eyes, her emotions pushed out of the way. A mere instant before that change, she'd needed him, trusted him, had been begging him to hold her. It had seemed like those old emotions were still there.

He hoped they were anyway. Her announcement about the colonies had stunned him; it still wasn't sinking in. But he already knew it meant they all needed to stick together, whoever was left, and he didn't want to lose Athena.

They needed to talk.

But she was right. He was probably needed somewhere. Talking would have to wait.


End file.
